strom



(No Model.)

A. A. STROM.

CLAW BAR. 7 No. 247,224. Patented Sept. 20,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AXEL A. STROW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND AUGUST GODEY, OF SAME PLACE.

CLAW-BAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,224, dated September 20, 1881.

Application filed March 12,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AXEL ALBIN STROM, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Claw-Bars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in claw-bars for drawing railroadrspikes; and the same consists in an elbow-lever having a pendent claw pivoted to the short or horizontal leg of the lever, the sharp edges of the claw being turnedinward and adapted to slip astride the spike and under the edges of the spike-head, while the bent portion of the lever rests upon the railroad-rail as a fulcrum, so that the spike is drawn out by a direct upward pull on the same, without causing any wrenching or prying strain upon the claw tendingto break or injure it.

With claw-bars heretofore in use difficulty has been experienced in drawing spikes from the outer edge of rails in bridges, owing to a lackot' space to operate the claw bar, where the outer end of the tie must be used as the bearing or support for the fulcrum of the clawbar, and sometimes, also, the end of the tie is so decayed as to afford no support for the fulcrum of the claw-bar, in which cases very great difiiculty is experienced in drawing out the spikes, if the tie happens to be sound at the point where the spike is driven in, as it usually is, being partially protected from the weather by the rail.

In the use of my invention the rail itself forms the bearing for the fulcrum, thus always affording a firm support, and an elbowlever being employed, the handle end of it occupies nearly a vertical position, so that the spikes can be withdrawn from either side of the rail with equal facility and without the necessity of the operator stepping outside of or from between the two rails, and the strain comes square and direct .upon the claw, so that there is little or no tendency to break it; andin case the claw should be broken or injured it is very readily replaced by a new one without going to a shop for repairs, as it is attached to the elbow-lever by an ordinary bolt and nut.

To prevent the bent portion of the lever or fulcrum slipping on the rail, I make its bearing-surface corrugated or roughened, and to prevent the lever tipping or wabbling to the side I make the bearing-surface considerably wider than the thickness of the lever.

The ears of the claw are made full on their inner side, so as to afford a hearing or guide against the rail as the spike is withdrawn.

The spikes, when drawn by use of my improved claw-bar, do not require to be straightened or worked over before using them again, as is the case when drawn by claw-bars heretofore in use, because with my clawbar the spikes are drawn by a direct pull which has no tendency to bend or crook them.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a similar view enlarged, and Fig. 3 is a rear view of the device.

In said drawings, A represents the railroadtie, B the rail, and a the spike.

C is the elbow-lever, having the pendent claw I) pivoted to the extremity of the short or horizontal leg of the elbow-lever by means of the bolt 11 passing through the ears d of the claw. The bolt d is provided with a nut, d ,on one end, so that the claw may be readily removed from the lever. The inner side of the ears (1 are made full or project inward, as shown atd to form a guide for the claw against the edge of the rail as it is raised. The edges d of the claw project inward, and are made parallel, or nearly parallel, to each other, and just wide enough apart to slip astride the spike under the edges of the spike-head. The bottom faces of the claw are made fiat or square across to give additional strength to the lifting-edges, and the two jaws of the claw are cast in one solid piece, so as to give the nec essary strength and rigidity thereto and prevent the same springing apart and thus slipping over the spike-head. I make the claw of cast-steel. The bent portion of the elbow-lever is provided with projections 01 on each side, to afford a fiat wide bearing-surface, which is provided with corrugations d to prevent the elbow-lever slipping on the rail. The ears of the claw are provided with two or more holes to adjust the device to rails of different heights. The upper end of the elbow-lever is provided with a chisel-like point to adapt the same for 5 use as an ordinary crow-bar, as occasion or convenience may require.

I am aware that claw-bars have been made heretofore having a pendent claw consisting of two movable jaws pivoted to a bent lever,

10 saidjawsheing adapted to close upon the spikehead when force is applied to the lever, the end of the lever to which the movable jaws are pivoted acting as a wedge to spre'ad'the upper end of the jaws apart, and thus close the 1 5 lower end of the jaws upon the spike, as shown AXEL ALBIN STROM.

Witnesses EDMUND ADCOCK, EVERETT BROWN. 

